Fireproof lock box



AND RELATED nav cas,

C. G. BENNET.

FIREPROOF LOCK BOX.

APPLKIATION FILED 05c. 15, 1921.

Patented June 27, 1922.

INVENTOR Charles 6.5enne'f BY I W 61 ATTORNEY AND RELATED DEVICESn"rafter: an.

CHARLES G. BENNET, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FIREIE'ROOF LOCK BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 27 1922 Application filedDecember 15, 1921.

. use in dwelling houses or any other place where it is desirable tohave a compartment in which valuable papers etc. can be stored andprotected against fire hazzard and protected against theft.

This and other objects of this invention' will be fully illustrated inthe drawing, described in the specification and pointed out in theclaims at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lock box as it appears when castinto a concrete block.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the door of the lock box, thesection being taken on the line 2 2* of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the corner of the lock boxand the concrete block into which it is cast.

In the several figures of the drawing like reference numerals indicatelike parts.

Lock boxes are made for a variety of puroses and my present inventionrelates to boxes which are designed to protect the contents thereof fromfire and to a considerable extent from theft. It is made in a mannerthat permits the installment thereof in the ordinary dwelling houses aswell as business places in such a way that fire will not destroy thecontents thereof.

The lock box is preferably made of metal of such size and shape that aconcrete building block such as is regularly used in building thefoundations of a house, can be moulded around it forming an integralpart of the sides and back thereof. This block with the box containedtherein is placed in the wall of the house preferably the foundationwall.

For this purpose the box body 1 is pro vided, which is of cast iron castin a single piece. A concrete block 2 is moulded around this box body.This may be done in any suitable manner as practiced in the art ofconcrete block making with the only requirement that the open end of thebox Serial No. 522,688.

be located on the face of the finished block. The box proper isrectangular in outline and has the outwardly flaring flanges 3, 4 and 5at the top and bottom and the right hand end respectively formed at theopen end thereof. The left hand end of the up per and lower flanges 3and 4 extends to the left of the box body and forms the top and bottomof the semi-cylindrical vertical pocket 6. A pin 7 passes through thepocket 6 and extends below and above the box into the concrete in whichit is suitably anchored. This pin forms a rigid pivot on which the cover8 of the box is mounted to swing. The cover is pivoted in the box beforethe concrete block is moulded around it.

The cover 8 is made up of a rectangular shell of which the sides andends flare out corresponding to the outwardly flaring flanges of the boxbody proper. The shell is cast in one piece of cast iron. After themould therefor has been formed a suitable number of nails are insertedtherein so that when the iron is poured it will flow around these nailsand freeze them in place with their heads at the back of the door andtheir shanks extending through the door and into the open space in thedoor. These outwardly projecting nail shanks 9, 9 are used for thepurpose of retaining the concrete filler for the box cover as willhereinafter be described.

The top and the bottom of the left hand end of the cover is perforatedfor the pivot pin 7 to pass therethrough. The cover is thus mounted toswing in the cylindrical pocket 6, the curved wall of the pocket alwaysforming a closed joint between it and the end of the cover. The cover ispivoted in the box before the concrete block is moulded around it.

At the right hand end of the cover 8 on the inside is mounted the lock10 having a suitable bolt.

The bolt of the lock passes through the shell of the cover at the righthand end thereof and is adapted to engage into the slot 11 provided inthe end flange 5 of the box when the cover is swung between the flangesof the box. After the cover is mounted in the box and the pivot pin 7 isin place the box is placed in a mould suitable for making a concreteblock and around the box. hen this concrete has set the iron box isintegral with the concrete block. The

cover of the box is then filled with concrete. The pins cast into thecover and projecting out therefrom are bent in an irregular manner andserves to anchor the concrete into the shell and will thus prevent theconcrete from falling out after it has set therein and forms a partthereof.

The flare of the flanges formed at the open end of the box body and thatof the sides and ends of the cover is made so that the cover will nestsnugly into the open end of the box and will tightly close the box andwill prevent heat from penetrating the box. A box of absolute fire proofquality is thus secured Which can be built into any convenient place inthe wall of the house with the assurance that papers stored therein areimmune from the fire hazard and are safe from theft when the cover ofthe box is locked in place.

I claim:

1. In a lock box, the combination of a box body open on the frontthereof, outwardly flaring flanges formed at the top and bottom and onone side at the open front of said body box, a pocket formed on theother side of the front of said box body and projecting laterallythereof, said box body being adapted to be cast into a concrete blockwith its open front located on one side thereof.

2. In a lock box, the combination of a box body open on the frontthereof, outwardly flaring flanges formed at the top and bottom and oneside at the open front of said box body, a pocket formed on the otherside of the front of said box body and projecting laterally thereof,said box body being adapted to be cast into a concrete block with itsopen front located on one side thereof, a door, a pivot pin mounted insaid pocket, said door being hinged in said pivot pin in said pocket,said door being formed by a shell having outwardly flaring sides andends, pins cast into the bottom of said shell, a lock mounted in saidshell, concrete adapted to be poured into said shell around said pinsand lock to cover said pins and lock and fill said shell, said pinsbeing adapted to anchor the concrete into said shell after it has settherein, said lock being adapted to lock said door between the flaringflanges formed at the front of said box body.

3. In a look box, the combination of a box body open on the frontthereof, outwardly flaring flanges formed at the top and bottom and onone side at the open front of said box body, a pocket formed on theother side of the front of said box body and projecting laterallythereof, said box body being adapted to be cast into a concrete blockwith its open front located on one side thereof, a door mounted to closethe front of said box, said door having a hinge pin at one end thereofpassing midway between the front and back of said door and locatedcentrally of said pocket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES G. BENNET.

